[Merged] Saints Select Clemson DT Bryan Bresee

I suppose I'll say this:

• Bresee fills probably our biggest and obvious area of need (DL and specifically a dynamic 3T with pass rush upside)
• We didn't trade up (and I don't think that there was much cause to move up, don't know if there was an offer or an offer with sufficient value to move down)
• The pick represents good value as Bresee is a top 5 player at the position of need, and depending on where you look, on the higher end of that scale - with a few exceptions, he was projected to be drafted in the second half of the 1st round
• Bresee has positional flexibility which suits what we do and what we need - he can obviously play 3T and that's where he likely spends most of his time, but I can see him being moved around to 1T, 4i, 5 and even 6 depending, though probably more so after some seasoning
• RAS score is obviously where we love it to be and physically, he's a top 10 pick type DT
• He's played in a major conference and in the 'big games' and playing against other NFL calibre athletes so the projection there is clean - he will not need to have an unusual adjustment period due to strength of competition
• While he's not the finished article and needs to work on technique/ develop etc, he's not 'raw' but with good measurables only
• He's a guy who one does not see as fizzling out due to lack of desire/ motivation (ala John Sullivan). He's been working on his craft since mid high school (working with pros) and appears to be a dedicated, coachable guy with a high motor style of play
• He's the youngest of the top 30 DT's available (21.56 years old) and this it's a reasonable assumption that he has room to grow/develop as a player
• He is young and this means that what he's done to date isn't down to the benefit of being a more experienced, older player vs less experienced, younger players - his best year was probably his first and there are reasonable explanations as to why he didn't quite stay at that level or progress beyond in it his next two years
• Has an injury history, which is a negative, though not one of continual mid level to serious injury, which is positive, but the real positive is that he's a 1st round talent with relatively little wear on the tires, even his last year he was on a snap count due to recovering from ACL and kidney infection
• From all accounts he's a very well regarded player by his team - liked, respected etc, not aloof or on the outside looking in

So, at 29 we did pretty well I think. There are no guarantees and any pick can turn out to be a bad one with hind sight. But we filled a position of need with a value player who, had he had a more regular/consistent college resume, would have been outside our reach due to the talent. Fingers crossed it pans out for him and his best footballing days are indeed in front of him, if so, we got a steal. We are due a little bit of luck in the injury/availability dept.